balancing sticky content with seo

BALANCING STICKY CONTENT

WITH SEO

Emily Warn

June 14, 2012

“I have been complimented many times and they always embarrass me; I always feel that they have not said enough.”

I have been complimented many times and compliments always embarrass me; I always feel that compliments have not said enough.

WHAT IF MARK TWAIN OPTIMIZED FOR SEO?

SEO & CONTENT SYNERGY

SERP

Headline

ParagraphURL

ImageKeywords &

Social signals

KEYWORDS + KEY CONTENT = OSCAR

WINNER

URLDirector

•Most important for SEO

HeadlineBest Actress

•Grabs Attention

First ParagraphSupporting

•Makes them stay

Social SignalsAudience•Recommends to friends

SEO & CONTENT SYNERGY

SERP

Headline

ParagraphURL

Image

Keywords

• Do the keyword research

• Lots of keyword tools

• Lots of ways to listen to customers

conversation

• Lots of ways to listen to the competition

FIND OUT HOW YOUR CUSTOMERS THINK!

• Set tone: Funny, personal, authoritative,

inspiring

• Know who you‟re talking to

• Make people curious: I want to learn

that. Click.

• Stay true: Make a promise and keep it

THREE-SECOND RULE FOR

HEADLINES

Empathize with customers‟ problem

Emily Warn

Managing Editor

Entertain through the unexpected

MAKE PEOPLE THINK

Office Marketing Team

POSE A CHALLENGE BY ASKING A QUESTION

Daniel Russell

LifeHackerVia SearchResearch.com

1ST PARAGRAPH HAS SUPPORTING ROLE

SERP

Headline

ParagraphURL

ImageKeywords

• Keeps the headline‟s promise

• Engages audience, keeps them reading

• Further explains purpose of content

• Further identifies audience

• Matches tone of headline

FIRST PARAGRAPH AMPLIFIES

HEADLINE

URL IS DIRECTOR

SERP

Headline

ParagraphURL

Image

Keywords

• Most important element for SEO

• Concise way to say what the topic‟s

about

• Opportunity for branding

• Synergy with SERP title & meta-

description

DON‟T MISS OUT ON URL

OPPORTUNITY

PUT KEYWORD IN TITLE + URL + 1ST PARAGRAPH

URL adds branding and avoids spamming

/circular-references-excel-error-message.aspx

“Millions of people using Excel don't get why they see the

„circular reference‟ error message right after they've

entered a formula.”

NUMBER 2 GOOGLE RANKING FOR SERP

20

SERP ELEMENTS

20

Description URL Title

HEADLINE + URL

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/14/books/dave-eggerss-

new-novel-a-hologram-for-the-king.html?pagewanted=all

NYTIMES SERP FOR DAVE EGGERS

TRUSTWORTHY? SOCIAL SIGNALS

ARE THE NEW LINK-BACKS

SERP

Headline

ParagraphURL

ImageSocial

Signals

• Trust is built on reputation

• Quality of content builds reputation

• People evaluate & recommend content via Twitter, bookmarking, FB Likes, FB posts, etc.

TRUSTWORTHY = SOCIAL MEDIA AUTHORITY

THANK YOU.

FOLLOW US AT TWOPENS.COM

AND

@EMILYWARN

@TWOPENS2.